Popular travel destinations
for Portugal passport holders
Portuguese passport holders have visa-free access to 172 countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America.
Europe. Portugal is part of the Schengen Area; therefore, Portuguese passport holders can enter Schengen countries visa-free and stay there for up to 90 days every six months.
Other EU countries available for visa-free travel for Portuguese citizens include Cyprus, Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania. The visa-free period of stay in these countries is the same: 90 days within a 180-day period.
The UK. Portuguese citizens can stay in the UK for 6 months without a visa; however, they must have a passport valid for the entire duration of their stay.
The USA and Canada. Portuguese citizens need an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to enter the USA and an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) for Canada. The process of obtaining either authorization is simple and takes around half an hour.
With an ESTA, Portuguese citizens can stay in the USA for 90 days. With an eTA, they can stay in Canada for up to 6 months. If entering Canada from the US by land or sea, an eTA is not required.
Australia. Portuguese citizens need to apply for an eTA before entering the country. It is valid for one year and allows multiple entries. The maximum stay is 90 days per visit.
Asia. Portugal passport holders can travel visa-free to Singapore, South Korea and several other Asian countries. The allowed duration of stay varies by country. For example, one can stay up to 90 days in Hong Kong and Singapore, and 30 days in the Maldives.
Portuguese passport visa-free countries
List of Portugal passport visa-free countries
Portugal citizens can travel visa-free to 172 countries worldwide. Some of these countries do not require any additional procedures for entry. However, to visit others, one must go through electronic travel authorization or obtain a visa upon arrival. Obtaining an eTA is simple and fast; it is done remotely and takes about 30 minutes.
The entry conditions and the list of visa-free countries for Portugal passport holders are constantly changing due to the geopolitical situation. Therefore, it is advisable to verify the current requirements before travelling to any country.
Europe
№ | Country | Entry conditions | Duration of stay |
1 | Albania | Visa-free | 90 days |
2 | Andorra | Visa-free | 90 days |
3 | Armenia | Visa-free | 180 days |
4 | Austria | Visa-free | 90 days |
5 | Belarus | Visa-free | 30 days |
6 | Belgium | Visa-free | 90 days |
7 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Visa-free | 90 days |
8 | Bulgaria | Visa-free | 3 months |
9 | Croatia | Visa-free | 3 months |
10 | Cyprus | Visa-free | 3 months |
11 | Czech Republic | Visa-free | 90 days |
12 | Denmark | Visa-free | 90 days |
13 | Estonia | Visa-free | 90 days |
14 | Finland | Visa-free | 90 days |
15 | France | Visa-free | 90 days |
16 | Georgia | Visa-free | 1 year |
17 | Germany | Visa-free | 90 days |
18 | Greece | Visa-free | 90 days |
19 | Hungary | Visa-free | 90 days |
20 | Iceland | Visa-free | 90 days |
21 | Ireland | Visa-free | 3 months |
22 | Italy | Visa-free | 90 days |
23 | Latvia | Visa-free | 90 days |
24 | Liechtenstein | Visa-free | 3 months |
25 | Lithuania | Visa-free | 90 days |
26 | Luxembourg | Visa-free | 90 days |
27 | Malta | Visa-free | 90 days |
28 | Moldova | Visa-free | 90 days |
29 | Monaco | Visa-free | 90 days |
30 | Montenegro | Visa-free | 90 days |
31 | Netherlands | Visa-free | 90 days |
32 | North Macedonia | Visa-free | 3 months |
33 | Norway | Visa-free | 3 months |
34 | Poland | Visa-free | 90 days |
35 | Romania | Visa-free | 3 months |
36 | Russia | eTA | 16 days |
37 | San Marino | Visa-free | 90 days |
38 | Serbia | Visa-free | 90 days |
39 | Slovakia | Visa-free | 90 days |
40 | Slovenia | Visa-free | 90 days |
41 | Spain | Visa-free | 90 days |
42 | Sweden | Visa-free | 90 days |
43 | Switzerland | Visa-free | 90 days |
44 | Türkiye | Visa-free | 90 days |
45 | Ukraine | Visa-free | 90 days |
46 | United Kingdom | Visa-free | 6 months |
Africa
№ | Country | Entry conditions | Duration of stay |
1 | Angola | Visa-free | 30 days |
2 | Benin | eTA | 30 or 90 days |
3 | Botswana | Visa-free | 90 days |
4 | Burkina Faso | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
5 | Burundi | Visa on arrival | 1 month |
6 | Cameroon | eTA | 90 days |
7 | Cape Verde Islands | Visa-free | 30 days |
8 | Comoros Islands | Visa on arrival | 45 days |
9 | Congo — Kinshasa | eTA | 90 days |
10 | Côte d'Ivoire | eTA | 90 days |
11 | Djibouti | eTA | 90 days |
12 | Egypt | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
13 | Equatorial Guinea | eTA | 90 days |
14 | Eswatini | Visa-free | 30 days |
15 | Ethiopia | Visa on arrival | 3 months |
16 | Gabon | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
17 | Gambia | Visa-free | 90 days |
18 | Guinea | eTA | 90 days |
19 | Guinea-Bissau | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
20 | Kenya | eTA | 90 days |
21 | Lesotho | Visa-free | 14 days |
22 | Madagascar | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
23 | Malawi | Visa on arrival | 3 months |
24 | Mauritania | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
25 | Mauritius | Visa-free | 90 days |
26 | Morocco | Visa-free | 90 days |
27 | Mozambique | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
28 | Namibia | Visa-free | 90 days |
29 | Nigeria | eTA | 90 days |
30 | Rwanda | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
31 | Sao Tome and Principe | Visa-free | 15 days |
32 | Senegal | Visa-free | 3 months |
33 | Seychelles | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
34 | Sierra Leone | Visa on arrival | 1 months |
35 | Somalia | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
36 | South Africa | Visa-free | 90 days |
37 | South Sudan | eTA | 90 days |
38 | Tanzania | Visa on arrival | 3 months |
39 | Togo | Visa on arrival | 7 days |
40 | Tunisia | Visa-free | 90 days |
41 | Uganda | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
42 | Zambia | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
43 | Zimbabwe | Visa on arrival | 3 months |
The Americas
№ | Country | Entry conditions | Duration of stay |
1 | Argentina | Visa-free | 90 days |
2 | Belize | Visa-free | 30 days |
3 | Bolivia | Visa-free | 90 days |
4 | Brazil | Visa-free | 90 days |
5 | Canada | eTA | 6 months |
6 | Chile | Visa-free | 90 days |
7 | Colombia | Visa-free | 90 days |
8 | Costa Rica | Visa-free | 90 days |
9 | Ecuador | Visa-free | 90 days |
10 | El Salvador | Visa-free | 90 days |
11 | Guatemala | Visa-free | 90 days |
12 | Guyana | Visa-free | 90 days |
13 | Honduras | Visa-free | 90 days |
14 | Mexico | Visa-free | 180 days |
15 | Nicaragua | Visa-free | 90 days |
16 | Panama | Visa-free | 3 months |
17 | Paraguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
18 | Peru | Visa-free | 90 days |
19 | United States | eTA | 90 days |
20 | Uruguay | Visa-free | 90 days |
21 | Venezuela | Visa-free | 90 days |
Asia
№ | Country | Entry conditions | Duration of stay |
1 | Azerbaijan | eTA | 30 days |
2 | Bangladesh | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
3 | Bhutan | eTA | 90 days |
4 | Brunei | Visa-free | 90 days |
5 | Cambodia | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
6 | India | eTA | 180 days |
7 | Indonesia | Visa-free | 30 days |
8 | Japan | Visa-free | 90 days |
9 | Kazakhstan | Visa-free | 30 days |
10 | Kyrgyzstan | Visa-free | 60 days |
11 | Laos | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
12 | Malaysia | Visa-free | 90 days |
13 | Maldives | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
14 | Mongolia | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
15 | Myanmar (Burma) | eTA | 28 days |
16 | Nepal | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
17 | Philippines | Visa-free | 30 days |
18 | Singapore | Visa-free | 90 days |
19 | South Korea | Visa-free | 90 days |
20 | Sri Lanka | eTA | 30 days |
21 | Tajikistan | Visa on arrival | 45 days |
22 | Thailand | Visa-free | 30 days |
23 | Timor-Leste | Visa-free | 90 days |
24 | Uzbekistan | Visa-free | 30 days |
25 | Vietnam | eTA | 90 days |
The Caribbean
№ | Country | Entry conditions | Duration of stay |
1 | Antigua and Barbuda | Visa-free | 90 days |
2 | Bahamas | Visa-free | 90 days |
3 | Barbados | Visa-free | 3 months |
4 | Dominica | Visa-free | 3 months |
5 | Dominican Republic | Visa-free | 30 days |
6 | Grenada | Visa-free | 90 days |
7 | Haiti | Visa-free | 90 days |
8 | Jamaica | Visa-free | 30 days |
9 | St Kitts and Nevis | Visa-free | 90 days |
10 | St Lucia | Visa-free | 90 days |
11 | St Vincent and the Grenadines | Visa-free | 90 days |
12 | Trinidad and Tobago | Visa-free | 90 days |
The Middle East
№ | Country | Entry conditions | Duration of stay |
1 | Bahrain | Visa on arrival | 2 weeks |
2 | Iran | Visa on arrival | 30 days |
3 | Iraq | Visa-free | 30 days |
4 | Israel | Visa-free | 90 days |
5 | Jordan | Visa on arrival | 6 months |
6 | Kuwait | Visa on arrival | 90 days |
7 | Lebanon | Visa on arrival | 1 month |
8 | Oman | Visa-free | 14 days |
9 | Pakistan | eTA | 90 days |
10 | Qatar | Visa-free | 60 days |
11 | Saudi Arabia | Visa on arrival | 3 months |
12 | United Arab Emirates | Visa-free | 90 days |
Oceania
№ | Country | Entry conditions | Duration of stay |
1 | Australia | eTA | 3 months |
2 | Fiji | Visa-free | 120 days |
3 | Kiribati | Visa-free | 90 days |
4 | Marshall Islands | Visa-free | 90 days |
5 | Micronesia | Visa-free | 90 days |
6 | New Zealand | eTA | 3 months |
7 | Palau Islands | Visa-free | 90 days |
8 | Papua New Guinea | Visa on arrival | 60 days |
9 | Samoa | Visa-free | 90 days |
10 | Solomon Islands | Visa-free | 90 days |
11 | Tonga | Visa-free | 90 days |
12 | Tuvalu | Visa-free | 90 days |
13 | Vanuatu | Visa-free | 90 days |
Benefits of a Portugal passport
The Portuguese passport offers many advantages besides visa-free travel to 172 countries.
Entry into Portugal at any time. Portuguese citizens can visit the country under any circumstances, even if the borders are closed.
Free medical services. Portugal has a high-quality healthcare system, and its citizens can benefit from it for free. They also receive a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) that allows them to get treatment in any EU country, as well as in Iceland, Switzerland, and Norway, under the same conditions as in Portugal.
Free education. Kindergartens and schools are free in Portugal, and the university fees are very low for the country’s citizens.
Studying in Portugal is prestigious. Among the best universities in the country are the University of Porto, University of Lisbon, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Universidade de Coimbra, all of which belong to the list of top 500 universities in the world. Portugal citizens can also study in other EU countries without having to pay tuition fees typically charged to non-EU students.
High quality of life. Like any EU country, Portugal offers comfortable living conditions. It boasts a developed economy, social security, and a favourable environment. Residents can enjoy a warm climate and healthy food year-round.
In 2023, Portugal was ranked 7th on the Global Peace Index and was also named the best travel destination in Europe.
Opportunity to pass on citizenship by descent. This status remains with a person throughout their life. Their children obtain Portuguese citizenship by birth.
How to obtain a Portuguese passport
Portuguese citizenship can be obtained by birth, descent, marriage, or naturalisation.
By birth. A child born in Portugal automatically becomes a citizen if at least one of the parents is a Portuguese citizen or has held a Portuguese residence permit for at least a year. This also applies to children born abroad to Portuguese citizens.
By descent. Individuals whose parents or grandparents are citizens of Portugal can apply for Portuguese citizenship at any time.
By marriage. Citizenship can be obtained if a person has been married to a Portuguese citizen for at least 3 years. Portugal recognises unregistered partnerships, so individuals in non-marital partnerships can also apply for citizenship.
By naturalisation. Someone with a Portuguese residence permit can apply for Portugal citizenship by naturalisation after 5 years from applying for a residence permit. It’s required to pay a state fee of €250 and pass a Portuguese language test at the A2 level.
There is no passport by investment program in Portugal. However, wealthy individuals can first apply for a Portugal Golden Visa and then, after 5 years, apply for citizenship.
Applying for a D7 visa is another way to get the opportunity to apply for citizenship by naturalisation. The visa is granted for 4 months to individuals a monthly passive income of €820 or more from outside the country. After entering the country, D7 visa holders must obtain a Portuguese residence permit. It doesn’t require investment but offers the same privileges as the Portugal Golden Visa.
What is Portugal's Golden Visa, and how to obtain it?
The Golden Visa of Portugal is a residence permit that one can obtain by investing in Portugal’s economy. An investor can recover their investment after 5 years.
There are 5 investment options to choose from:
- €250,000+ in culture, art, or the reconstruction of national heritage;
- €500,000+ in fund shares;
- €500,000+ in research programs;
- €500,000+ in a business while creating at least 5 jobs;
- an unspecified amount in a business while creating at least 10 jobs.
After choosing an option, investors come to Portugal to open a bank account, obtain an individual taxpayer number, and sign a power of attorney for a lawyer to represent them in Portugal.
Once the investment deal is closed and all documents are gathered, the lawyer files an application. Afterwards, the investor and their family members return to Portugal to submit their biometrics.
The procedure for considering the application takes up to 6 months. If approved, the investor pays the fees for the residence permit card and collects it in person.
The residence permit is renewed every two years, following the same procedure as the initial application.
Differences between Golden Visa and citizenship
Portuguese citizenship | Portugal Golden Visa |
Access to 172 countries visa-free | Access to 30 countries visa-free |
Period of acquisition: 5+ years | Period of acquisition: 8—10 months |
Cannot be obtained by investment | Can be obtained by investment |
Requires passing a language test | Doesn’t require passing any language or cultural tests |
Visa-free countries for Golden Visa holders
Portugal Golden Visa holders have visa-free access to the Schengen Area, which, as of March 1, 2024, includes Bulgaria and Romania. Although Cyprus is not yet part of the Schengen Agreement, it also grants visa-free entry to Portuguese residents. In total, there are 30 visa-free states.
The entry conditions for all these countries are the same. The exception is Bulgaria, where visa-free entry is permitted if you cross the border by air or sea; however, visa control is still maintained at the land border.
Key takeaways for visa-free access with a Portuguese passport
- Portuguese citizens enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 172 countries, spanning continents from Europe to Oceania and the Americas.
- Being part of the Schengen Area, Portuguese passport holders easily travel within Europe.
- Strong international ties allow entry to sought-after destinations like the US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
- Portuguese citizenship, attainable through descent, marriage, or naturalisation, extends benefits like healthcare and education.
- The Portugal Golden Visa offers residency and, after five years, a path to citizenship, albeit with initial travel privileges that are less extensive than those of full citizens.
Frequently asked questions
The Portuguese passport ranks highly, allowing holders to visit 172 countries visa-free, including the US, Canada and Hong Kong.
No, Portugal passport holders can enter the country visa-free and stay for up to 6 months.
Portuguese citizens cannot work in the USA without a work permit.
A Portuguese passport can’t be obtained by investment. However, there are several ways to become a Portugal citizen:
- by birth,
- by descent,
- by marriage,
- by naturalisation.
The most common method is naturalisation. Wealthy individuals often choose to obtain a Golden Visa by investing in the country’s economy and then apply for citizenship 5 years after.
The time it takes to obtain a Portuguese passport depends on the method of acquiring citizenship. For example, you can apply for it 5 years after initially receiving a Golden Visa.
With a Portuguese passport, you have the right to work in Portugal and any other EU country without needing a work visa.
Yes, as a citizen of Portugal, you can move to Germany and work there without any additional permits.
As a permanent resident of Portugal, you can enter 30 countries without a visa.
Permanent residents do not enjoy the same visa-free travel privileges as Portuguese citizens. They often need to apply for visas or entry clearance based on their nationality and the destination country’s visa policies.
Portuguese citizens need to obtain an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) to enter the USA. the USA. The process is straightforward and usually takes about half an hour to complete.
With an ESTA, Portuguese citizens can stay in the USA for 90 days within any 180-day period.
Yes, the Portuguese passport is considered strong for global travel freedom, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 172 countries. As part of the European Union, Portuguese passport holders benefit from unrestricted travel to all EU member states and the Schengen Area. Additionally, Portugal passport visa free countries include Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, among others.
The Portuguese passport is stronger. The strength of a passport is typically measured by the number of countries its holders can visit without obtaining a visa in advance.
Portuguese passport holders have access to 172 countries without needing a visa or by obtaining a visa upon arrival, including popular destinations in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and other regions.
Canadian passport holders enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 162 countries.